Cart.



P. T. WALTHER.

CART.

APPLICATION FILED NOV. 23, 1910.

Patented Dec. 3, 1912.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

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P. T. WALTHER.

CART.

APPLICATION FILED Nov. 2s, 1910.

1,046,352. Patented Dec. 3, 191.2.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 24 MEQ K Y N N lf/Inf@ l sans A CART.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented nee. 3, 1912.

Application filed. November 23, 1910. Serial No. 593,825.

To all whom it 'may concern.'

Be it known that I, FRANK T. l/VALTHER, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Scribner, in the county of Dodge and State of Nebraska, have invented certain new and useful Improvements inV Carts, of which the following is a specification.

My invention is an improvement in carts, and consists in certain novel constructions and combinations of parts, hereinafter described and claimed.

The object of the invention is to provide a simple, cheaply constructed cart, light in weight, yet strong and nicely balanced, and consequently of light draft.

Referring to the drawings forming a part hereof, Figure 1 is a plan view of the improvement. Fig. 2 is a vertical longitudinal section. Fig. 3 is a perspective view from below of one end of the seat. Fig. 4 is a detail view showing the loops in full and dotted line position.

The embodiment of the invention shown in the drawings comprises an axle 1, polygonal in cross section having a wheel 2 on each end thereof, and a body 3 supported by the axle. The body as shown in Figs. 1 and 2, is rectangular in cross section, andthe bottom 4 is of less area than the top and is provided with a marginal flange 5 flaring outwardly from the bottom. The body is preferably of sheet metal, as for instance galvanized iron, suitably painted and decorated to present a pleasing appearance, and the side walls of the body is a continuous ring 6 bent to shape, and secured to the flange 5 of the bottom at its lower edge. The upper edge of the ring is provided with a lateral marginal ange 7, and the free edge of the flange is bent to form a channel 8.

The channel opens downwardly and is rectangular is cross section, and reinforcing bars 9 of wood or other rigid material are seated in the channel. At each sideof the inner edge of the flange 7, a rail 10 is secured to the said flange by rivets 11. Each rail is formed of angle iron as shown, and the rails are op-positely arranged, and a seat comprising a seat portion 12, and a back 13, is slidable on the rails.

The back 13 is hinged to the seat 12 at 14, with a rule joint as shown in Fig. 2, so that the back can fold on the seat, and the seat and back may be suitably upholstered, if desired. Each end of the seat is provided with a transverse bar 15 on its under face, and the said bar slides on the adjacent rail. The front end'of each bar is beveled as shown at 16 in Fig. 3. A transverse bar 17 is arranged at each end of the seat, on its upper faces, and a cushioned seat (not shown) Amay be arranged between the bars. The reinforcing bars 9 before mentioned are secured in place by bolts or rivets 18, and the side bars are extended at the Afront of the cart, as shown at 19. The extensions 19 are connected by cross bars 20. The bars 20are Hush with the extension 19 at one end, and are extended beyond the extension at the other end, and the shafts 21 aresecured to the rear cross bars by a hanger 22. One of the shafts is arranged inside the adjacent extension 19, and the other is arranged outside of the extension, and a swingletree 23 is connected to the forward cross bar 20 by straps 24. A hanger 25 depends from the front cross bar 2O near each end and incloses the adjacent shaft. The rear end of each shaft is pivoted in the hangerk 22 and the hanger 25 is of suficient length to prevent the shaft from touching the ground at its free end, when the body of t-he cart is in horizontal position. The body is connected with the axle by means of an elliptical spring 26 arranged at each end of the body, beneath the flange 7. A saddle plate 27 is seated on the upper member of the spring, between the flange and the spring, and the plate and spring are held in place by clips 28, whose body portions inclose the spring and plate, and the arms of the clips are passed through the flange andy reinforcing bar.

The lower member of the spring rests on a substantially U-shaped block 29, seated on the axle, and the spring and block are held in place by a clip 30. The arms of the clips pass through a strap 31 arranged below the axle, and are engaged by nuts 32 below the strap. The strap 31 is arranged transversely of the axle, and a coil spring 33 is connected with each end thereof at one end and at the other with an eyebolt 34 on a bar 35 engaged by hooks 36, on rods 37. The

bar is supported by the rods, which are pivoted at the opposite ends from the hooks to the front cross bar 20 at the front of the cart, and to the reinforcing bar 9 at the rear of the cart. The front cross bar 20 is also 110 connected to the axle by rods 38, one at each end of the axle. Fach rod is engaged with an eye 39 in the axle, and with a loop 40 on the cross bar. A step 41 is providedV at the rear of the cart, and is supported by a bracket 42 at each end, each bracket depending from the adjacent reinforcing bar 9.

`The stepis braced bybars 43 at each end.

The springs 33 balance the body, so .that the Y weight istaken off the'horses back, and the shafts are so arranged that the horse tracks with one wheel insteadof moving between the wheels.

As the greater part of the travel is with double teams,1the ordinary road presents Y two smooth paths, one at each side of the road, and' a rough place between them, so that horses hitched to single rigs are compelled to travel on the rough path. For this reason, constant attention is required to keep the animal out of the smooth paths. With the improvement, the horse can travel in the smooth path, and the cart wheels will also travel in the beaten portion o f the road. By moving the seat to the proper position, 'the body can be so balanced that the weight is taken off the horses back.

yI claim:

1. A cart comprising a body of sheet material, and substantially rectangular in cross section, the sides of the body flaring outwardly from the bottom, said body having a lateral marginal flange at its upper edge, the flange having a continuous downwardly facing channel in its outer edge, reinforcing bars in the channel, a rail on each side of the body on the flange, a seat slidable on the rails, an axle arranged transversely of the body and below the same, an elliptical spring at each side of the body betweenV the axle and the adjacent flange.

2. A cart comprising a body of .sheet material, and substantially rectangular in cross section, the sides of the body flaring outwardly from the bottoni, said body having a lateral marginal flange atits upper edge, Vthe flange having a continuous downwardly facing channel in its outer edge, reinforcing bars in the channel, a rail on each side of.

the body on the flange, a seat slidable on the rails, an axle arranged transversely of the body, and springs between the axle and the body.

. 3. In a carta body of sheet material, and substantially rectangular in cross section, the sides of the body flaring outwardly from the bottom, said body having a lateral marginal flange at its upper edge, the flange having a continuous downwardly facing channel in its outer edge, reinforcing bars in the channel, a rail on each side of the body on the flange, and a seat slidable on the rails.

4. In a cart, a body of sheet material, sub- I stantially rectangular in cross section and having sides flaring outwardly, the said body having a laterally extending Vcontinuous flange at its upper edge provided with a downwardly facing channel in its outer edge, reinforcing bars in the channel, shafts pivoted to the body and arranged laterally with respect to the longitudinal center of the body, an axle below the body, springs between the body and the axle, and a seat slidable longitudinally of the body.

5. In a cart, a body of sheet material substantially rectangular in cross section and having sides flaring outwardly, the said body having a laterally extending continuous flange at its upper edge provided with a downwardly facing channel in its outer edge, and reinforcing bars in the channel.

FRANK T. VALTHER.

Witnesses:

FRED VOLPE, FRED KELLER.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for ve cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents,

Washington, D. C. 

